Südsudan

New fighting in South Sudan's Central Equatoria state this week is putting a strain on the country's fragile peace agreements. A spokesman for the rebel National Salvation Front (NAS) said a joint force composed of soldiers from the army and the former rebel SPLM-IO attacked NAS positions in Central Equatoria state beginning on Sunday.

Political analysts in South Sudan are warning that the ongoing political and military defections by parties that constitute the Revitalised Unity Government could hurt the peace agreement implementation process.

More members of South Sudan’s main opposition party have defected to the ruling party led by President Salva Kiir, with one former member accusing First Vice President Riek Machar of running the opposition like a family dynasty.

South Sudan reported its first four cases of coronavirus this week – all UN staff members – and the news quickly triggered a xenophobic backlash that has amped up tensions and restricted the movement of aid agencies.

South Sudan confirmed its first COVID-19 case Sunday, a 29-year old woman who entered the country on Feb. 28 from the Netherlands via Addis Ababa. The U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said the individual is a U.N. staff member who has been in the country for nearly five weeks.

Authorities in South Sudan must address intercommunal violence if the nation is to achieve lasting peace, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Friday, in response to a recent escalation in fighting in the east and central parts of the country. The increased number and range of weapons used by rival clans, as well as the “apparent failure” by the authorities to respond, has contributed to clashes which have left hundreds dead and thousands displaced, while women and children have been subjected to sexual violence.

Women who had been displaced by fighting in South Sudan are sowing seeds of peace, with support from the UN mission in the country, UNMISS.

Thousands of people are fleeing ongoing inter-communal clashes in South Sudan’s Jonglei State and the newly created Greater Pibor Administrative Area – the latest challenge to efforts to cement peace following last month’s formation of a unity government.

Following the unveiling of a new unity cabinet in South Sudan on Thursday, the UN Secretary-General has commended the “spirit of compromise and collaboration” shown by President Salva Kiir and rival-turned-top deputy, Riek Machar, on what has been a rocky road towards forging lasting peace.

The Security Council decided to renew the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) today amid encouraging developments in that country’s peace process, including the beginning of efforts to form the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity. Unanimously adopting resolution 2514 (2020) under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the Council also decided to maintain the Mission’s overall force levels at a ceiling of 17,000 troops, including the Regional Protection Force, and 2,101 police officers. The renewed mandate will run until 15 March 2021.